The Russian delegation expects a constructive dialogue within the Council with NATO, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.
" We are going there with absolutely realistic expectations and hope that this will be a serious and deep conversation on key, fundamental problems of European security," he told reporters.
According to the diplomat, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been silent on the difficulties for many years and viewed Moscow's position as unimportant, "as a manifestation of distrust on the part of Russia of the 'peace-loving' nature of NATO."
"There comes a time for everything, and it is no exaggeration to say that there is a moment of truth in our relations with the alliance," Grushko added.
On January 9-10, Moscow and Washington held consultations in Geneva on Russia's proposals on security guarantees, which will be followed by a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels and consultations on the platform of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna.
The reason for the talks was the draft treaty on security guarantees, which Moscow sent to Washington and its allies in December. In particular, the document includes provisions for mutual non-deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles within each other's range, a refusal to further expand NATO at the expense of the former Soviet republics, and a reduction of the number of military exercises.
Even before the consultations began, the US said that some of the proposals were unacceptable. Moscow stressed that the draft is not of an ultimatum nature, but Russia will not make unilateral concessions, especially under pressure. Ryabkov did not rule out that the dialogue with the US would be limited to one meeting and there would be no point in continuing it, but this threatened a new round of confrontation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from RIA Novosti